GAMERS IN THE STACKS: A BRIEF LOOK AT WHO THE GAMERS ARE, AND WAYS PUBLIC LIBRARIES CAN SERVE THEM

1
GAMERS IN THE STACKSA BRIEF LOOK AT WHO THE
GAMERS ARE, AND WAYS PUBLIC LIBRARIES CAN SERVE
THEM

• Presented for the PLA Virtual Conferenceby Beth
  Gallaway, http//informationgoddess.info March
  2008

2
CONTACT BETH

• Beth Gallaway
• informationgoddess29_at_gmail.com
• http//del.icio.us/informationgoddess29
• http//informationgoddess.info
• 603.247.3196

3
WHAT IS A GAME?

• GAME activity engaged in for diversion or
  amusement synonym see FUN
• VIDEO GAME an electronic game played by means of
  images on a video screen and often emphasizing
  fast action

Merriam-Webster Online. http//www.m-w.com
4
POLL 1 DO YOU PLAY GAMES OF ANY KIND?

• YES
• NO

5
WHY GAMES AT THE LIBRARY? BECAUSE GAMES

• Are just like books, they are just another new
  format
• Are the medium of choice for the millennial
  generation
• Meet developmental needs of teens
• Are literary
• Reinforce new literacies

6
GAMES ARE LIKE BOOKS...
THEY ARE JUST A NEW FORMAT
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GAMING IS THE MEDIUM OF CHOICE FOR THE MILLENNIAL
GENERATION
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POLL 2 WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF A GAMER?
33
Entertainment Software Association. Top 10
Facts. http//www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.ph
p
9
POLL 3 WHAT PERCENT OF PEOPLE OVER 50 PLAY
GAMES?
24
Entertainment Software Association. Top 10
Facts. http//www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.ph
p
10
GAMING MEETS DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF YOUNG
ADOLESCENTS

• Positive social interaction with adults peers
• Structure and clear limits
• Physical activity
• Creative expression
• Competence and achievement
• Meaningful participation in families, school,
  communities
• Opportunities for self-definition

NMSA. NMSA Research Summaries. Young Adolescents
Developmental Needs (1996)
11
WHAT DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS ARE BEING MET?
12
POLL 4 WHAT OF GAMERS ARE FEMALE?
38
Entertainment Software Association. Top 10
Facts. http//www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.ph
p
13
GAMING LITERACY

• Environmental print
• signage
• labels
• maps
• Reading about the game
• instructions
• walkthroughs
• Writing about the game
• forums
• websites
• Chat
• WTS, Mageweave cloth, 15g

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GAMING REINFORCES NEW LITERACIES

• Exposing knowledge
• Employing information
• Expressing ideas compellingly
• Ethics on the Internet

Warlick, David. The New Literacies. Scholastic
Administrator. Mar-Apr2005
15
1. EXPOSING KNOWLEDGE

• Find information
• Understand and explain found information
  regardless of its format
• Evaluate information
• Organize information

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2. EMPLOYING INFORMATION

• Computation
• Measurement
• Analysis
• Application

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POLL 5 HOW MANY BILLIONS DID COMPUTER
VIDEO GAME SALES GROSS IN 2006?
7.4
Entertainment Software Association. Top 10
Facts. http//www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.ph
p
18
3. EXPRESSING IDEAS COMPELLINGLY

• Mechanics matter
• Creativity efficiency highly rated
• Text, images, audio, and video are used to
  express ideas in many digital formats

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WAYS GAMERS EXPRESS IDEAS COMPELLINGLY

• Fan Fiction
• Machinima
• Web Comics
• Fan Forums
• Clan Websites

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ETHICS ON THE INTERNET

• Modding recreating game content
• FanFic writing stories about characters
  created/owner by someone else
• Machinima films/videos created through
  recording video game play

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POLL 6 HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED A GAME RATED
M FOR MATURE?

• YES
• NO

22
POLL 7 WHAT PERCENTAGE OF GAMES SOLD IN 2006
WERE RATED M?
15
Entertainment Software Association. Top 10
Facts. http//www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.ph
p
23
HOW CAN LIBRARIES SERVE GAMERS?

• Connect games with traditional materials
• Think like a gamer
• Become a strategy guide
• Research video game culture
• Support gaming
• Create a gaming experience
• Game collections
• Gaming programs
• Try some games!

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USE GAMES IN READER'S ADVISORY

• INSTEAD OF
• What authors do you like to read?
• What are the last 3 books you read?
• What did you like about them?
• ASK
• What movies do you like?
• What TV shows do you watch?
• What games do you play?

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THINK LIKE A GAMER

• Everything is in BETA
• Get a screen name
• It's all about YOU
• You cant break it
• Fail early, fail often

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BE A STRATEGY GUIDE... ...NOT A LEVEL BOSS!

• Show, dont tell.
• Make it interactive.
• Have a free-for-all.
• Ask for a demo of expertise

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RESEARCH VIDEO GAME CULTURE

• Watch Red Vs. Blue
• Read Penny Acade or PvP
• Skim gaming magazines
• Link to gaming sites
• Pay attention to gaming around you
• Attend GLLS2008
• Join the LibGaming Google grouphttp//groups.goo
  gle.com/group/libgaming

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TRY SOME GAMES

• Set Game
• Penguin Baseball
• Bejeweled
• Chicktionary
• Bob the Blob
• Club Penguin
• Runescape
• Diner Dash
• Snood
• http//del.icio.us/informationgoddess29/games

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POLL 8 DOES YOUR LIBRARY ALLOW PATRONS TO
PLAY GAMES ON PUBLIC COMPUTERS?

• YES
• NO

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POLL 9WHAT OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES ALLOW
PATRONS TO PLAY COMPUTER GAMES?

• 82

Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in
Libraries Taking the Pulse. July 2007.
http//boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf .
Accessed October 8, 2007.
31
AND CREATE A GAMING EXPERIENCE

• Programs
• Collections

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POLL 10DOES YOUR LIBRARY HOST VIDEO GAME
PROGRAMS?

• YES
• NO

Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in
Libraries Taking the Pulse. July 2007.
http//boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf .
Accessed October 8, 2007.
33
POLL 11WHAT OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES HOST VIDEO
GAME PROGRAMS?

• 13

Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in
Libraries Taking the Pulse. July 2007.
http//boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf .
Accessed October 8, 2007.
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WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL GAMING PROGRAM?

• Do your homework
• Provide variety
• Open up to the community
• Spread the word
• Play

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FOR PROGRAMS, CHOOSE A GAME THAT IS...

• Multiplayer
• Short Rounds
• Rated E or T
• Easy to Learn
• Challenging to Master
• Appealing to a wide demographic

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MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS

• Santa Monica Public Library, CA Counterstrike
  LAN party
• After hours program
• 50 teens lined up around the block to play
• After School Zone, Benicia Public Library, CA
• Hanging out, snacks and playing games encourages
• Kids and teens who have gotten parental consent
  can play Halo 2 and Ghost Recon on the XBox 360
• Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. Melee are
  popular on Gamecube

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POLL 12WHAT OF GAMERS PLAY ON HANDHELDS?
32
32
Entertainment Software Association. Top 10
Facts. http//www.theesa.com/facts/top_10_facts.ph
p
38
MODEL GAMING PROGRAMS

• Ann Arbor District Library (MI) Mario Kart,
  Super Smash Bros, DDR
• Tournaments for all ages
• Regular programs
• Online community
• North Hunterdon High School (NJ)
• Student-run game night in the cafeteria

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DDRGUTIART HERO FUN

• Awesome cuz everyone gets along with each other,
  theres no waiting in line or nething. Plus
  guitar hero is a wicked rad game.

40
I LOVED DDR

• I liked this because theres too few of the DDR
  community around. This is a good opportunity to
  meet people with like interests.

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POLL 13 DOES YOUR LIBRARY CIRCULATE VIDEO
GAMES?
YES NO
Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in
Libraries Taking the Pulse. July 2007.
http//boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf .
Accessed October 8, 2007.
42
POLL 14 WHAT OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES CIRCULATE
VIDEO GAMES?

• 30

Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in
Libraries Taking the Pulse. July 2007.
http//boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf .
Accessed October 8, 2007.
43
GAMING COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

• Magazines
• Strategy guides
• Nonfiction about gaming
• Fiction with gaming as a plot or subplot

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PRIMA STRATEGY GUIDES

• eGuides in PDF format
• 504 titles
• 12.99 each

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COLLECTION POLICY CONSIDERATIONS

• Formats
• Console
• PC
• Internet
• Subscription
• Breadth Depth
• Genres
• Styles
• Age ranges
• Budget

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COLLECTION MANAGEMENT

• Storage depends on
• format
• staff
• space
• budget
• Theft
• start with programs
• start small
• Issues
• replacement/repair
• resistance

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BEST PRACTICES COLLECTIONS

• Rockridge
• Ages 13-18 year olds
• PS2 games
• 2 games/patron
• No holds/renewals
• 7 day free checkout
• 1/day late fee
• 50/replacement fee
• Genres sports, adventure, racing, fighting, and
  shooters.

• Helen McGraw
• E, E10 and T
• PS2 and PC games
• 14 day circ
• .25/day late fee
• game cost5/replacement fee
• Genres compilations, sports, racing games,
  platformers, unique and quirky titles

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IN CONCLUSION

• Libraries are about access to stories, and access
  to information in any format.
• We have to stop being format snobs!

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THANK YOU!

• Beth Gallaway
• informationgoddess29_at_gmail.com
• http//del.icio.us/informationgoddess29
• http//informationgoddess.info
• 603.247.3196